


His Majesty's Enterprise

by TonightNoPoetryWillServe



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Dragon!Enterprise, Enterprise has a lot of questions about freedom, It'll take a few chapters for Spock to show up - sorry!, Jim is not good at following the rules, Jim refuses to narrate in regency era English, M/M, Napoleonic Wars, Slow Burn, Some period typical homophobia, Some period typical racism and xenophobia, Temeraire!AU, Uhura is the ultimate BAMF, mostly past Gary/Jim, playing fast and loose with cannon and history and everything else – Human!Spock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:21:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29934729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TonightNoPoetryWillServe/pseuds/TonightNoPoetryWillServe
Summary: [A big chunk of Chapter 2 was cut off! It's now fixed, apologies!]Napoleonic Wars AU---but with dragons! In which Jim is a privateer turned dragon Captain; the Enterprise is his talking dragon; and Spock is an outcast wanderer. Based on the Temeraire series. This is of COURSE a Jim/Spock love story, but it’s also about Jim’s epic, platonic love with Enterprise; his antagonism turned respect turned epic friendship with Uhura; his bffdom with Bones; and his weird, somewhat sexually charged match of wits with Napoleon (yup, we’re going there).In Chapter 1, Jim meets Enterprise, and it’s love at first sight.In Chapter 2, Jim forms his crew, they seem some action, and Jim realizes that captaining a dragon is very different than captaining a ship.Jim had always hated seeing his ship damaged, but this was something else entirely. A ship could shudder and moan, but it could not feel pain. Nor could a ship recite poetry or ask questions about civil rights.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Crew of the Starship Enterprise, James T. Kirk & USS Enterprise, James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	1. Enterprise

**Author's Note:**

> Plot (and some dialogue!) is stolen from Temeraire, but with significant changes to simplify it and make it fit better with the Star Trek personalities. I’ve kept a few minor characters from the Temeraire series, and left alone some historical figures like Napoleon, but obviously there is zero historical accuracy in this. All for fun. I'm trying to make sure everything makes sense even if you haven't read Temeraire, so please let me know if anything is confusing!

Jim watched the grin spread across Gary’s face before his first officer handed him the looking glass so he could see for himself. “French frigate, sluggish and clearly undermanned. An easy prize.”

A similar expression appeared on his own face: predatory anticipation. “Beat to quarters,” he ordered, and watched as his crew snapped to in pursuit of the French ship. His eyes tracked their movements appreciatively. They were a good crew, and he took a moment to appreciate that every man aboard was there because he chose to be. The same couldn’t be said for the ships of the British Navy; the Navy practiced impressment, forcing men to join the service against their will. Sam always called privateering “one step up from piracy, and only if you squint.” And Jim always shot back, “and impressment isn’t really a step up from slavery. I’d rather be a pirate than a slaver.” 

His father, Lord Kirk, certainly didn’t approve of Jim’s career choice. Second sons were supposed to do quiet, respectable things, like the church. The navy would have perhaps been acceptable. Privateering? Certainly not. 

But Jim loved it. While he owed a portion of his prizes to the Government, he always profited handsomely, and he got to choose his own course. He was _free_ , and that freedom was worth everything. 

Such philosophical thoughts were quickly forgotten as the chase continued, but the joy and excitement remained. The French ship was won easily, its crew having been decimated by disease and bad luck. The Captain put up a hell of a fight anyway, and soon Jim learned why.

“Captain,” Gary called from belowdecks on the French ship. “You’d better come see this.”

He didn’t know what he expected, but it certainly wasn’t this. The dragon’s egg gleamed even in the dim light of the cabin. It was oddly breathtaking. Without thinking, he lay a hand across the shell. It was firm and warm. _We’re all going to be rich_. The prize money for capturing a dragon’s egg—especially from the French—would set him up for life. 

But there was a bit of a problem: “I think it’s almost ready to hatch. Assemble the men. Looks like one of us is going to be an aviator.”

“Here’s praying it isn’t me,” Gary replied. “I like my liberty, thanks very much.”

It was commonly known that dragons must be harnessed at birth, or they became feral and refused to answer to men. The harnessing created a permanent bond between the dragon and his Captain, which meant that one of his men needed to bite the bullet and harness the beast. It also meant that that man would become an aviator in the British military. All dragons, by law, belonged to the British Crown.

Jim wasn’t sure what breed of dragon they’d captured, but judging by the shell, it was likely to be a heavyweight. A real asset in the war effort against Napoleon. Jim allowed himself to dream briefly about what it might be like to have a dragon aboard ship, assisting in the capture of enemy vessels. It was a delightful thought. He’d be the terror of the seas. But even if he could get away with it, he’d need a significantly larger ship. And he most certainly couldn’t get away with it—he’d have the entire British military after him.

They ended up drawing lots, and he was a bit sorry to see one of the youngest, Carver, draw the short straw. 

“You’ll do all right, lad,” Jim said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’ll be a hero.”

The boy looked as if he’s been ordered to his grave, and Jim felt even worse for him. But despite Carver’s plight, Jim felt a thrill of anticipation at the idea of the dragon hatching. He’d never seen a dragon up close before.

He didn’t need to wait long. They were making for Britain with all speed, Gary captaining the captured French frigate, but they still had at least two weeks’ sailing time left when Jim’s second mate burst into his quarters unannounced. 

“Captain, it’s time! The egg is hatching!”

This would normally be a punishable offense, but Jim decided to ignore the infraction. The man was clearly excited, and Jim hurriedly followed after him to the deck. Carver was already there, pale as a sheet, a makeshift harness trembling in his hands. He gave the boy a warm smile, hoping it looked encouraging. 

A loud crack drew his attention to the egg. A long black snout emerged, followed by the rest of the creature. It was about the size of a dog, clumsy on newly minted legs, leathery wings stretching, bits of egg falling to the deck. The creature looked around curiously. _It’s beautiful_ , Jim thought. Although it appeared a bit gangly and uncertain, there was a latent grace in its limbs, and its scales gleamed in the sun. Its eyes were deep blue orbs. 

Carver was shaking harder now. “Go on,” Jim called out gently.

The boy approached the dragon, shaking so hard Jim was afraid he would drop the harness. “I—can I—” 

The dragon blinked at him, and then walked past him to look over the crew, most of whom drew back. Jim didn’t realize this effectively put him forward until the dragon stopped in front of him and asked, “Why are you frowning?” He was mesmerized by its smooth, clear voice, its enchanting blue eyes. He knew dragons learned speech in the shell, and spared a moment to be relieved that the dragon has been on their ship long enough to learn English. 

“I did not mean to,” he replied softly. “My name is Jim Kirk. What’s yours?”

The dragon seemed to consider this question carefully, then said, “I do not have a name.”

“May I give you one?” Jim asked. He heard the sharp intake of breath from his men. They all knew what this meant: if Jim harnessed the dragon, it would be the end of his life as a privateer. The aviators had a reputation for being laxer than any other part of the British military, but it still meant reporting to Government. It still meant abandoning the _Reliant_ , his crew, and most importantly his life of freedom at sea.

“Please do,” the dragon replied.

Jim took only a moment to think. As soon as his mind settled on a name, he blurted it out—not really surprised that he was naming a dragon after a ship: “ _Enterprise_ —do you like it?”

“Enterprise. Yes, my name is Enterprise.” The creature looked delighted, and Jim felt a ripple of joy. “I am very hungry, Jim Kirk. Might I have something to eat?”

A newly hatched dragon would fly away after being fed if was not restrained, and so Jim gestured to Carver, who hurried to his side, and took the harness. “Would you let me put this on you and make you fast to the deck? Then I’ll bring you something to eat. And please, you can call me Jim.”

“Very well, Jim,” said Enterprise, and sat down, her movements already more graceful.

Jim raised the harness and slipped it over her, then attached her to the deck. He could see the stricken look on his men’s faces.. It hadn’t fully sunk in yet that he’d just given up the only thing he ever really wanted: _freedom._ Surely he was going to regret this when he had to start taking orders. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to be upset, not when Enterprise was still looking at him warmly, trustingly. He felt oddly giddy, as if all he’d ever wanted was a dragon. _Not_ a _dragon,_ his mind protested. _This dragon._

***

“Do you know what breed of dragon I am?” Enterprise asked him as they sat together toward the stern of the ship.

“I’m afraid I don’t,” Jim replied. Enterprise had quadrupled in size in only two days, and Jim was leaning comfortably against her warm, solid bulk. “I’m no expert in dragons, but once we reach Britain, I’m sure they’ll be able to tell us.”

Enterprise made a considering noise. “Do you think I’ll have any abilities, such as fire-breathing?”

“Fire breathing is very rare, I know that much. And I know you’re not a longwing, so you won’t spit acid.” He was admittedly grateful for that; fledgling longwings could be quite dangerous to themselves and others—not to mention to the ship. “But even without any special abilities, I can already tell you’re going to be a powerful dragon. A heavyweight.”

Enterprise looped her neck around him to nuzzle at him lightly. “Yes, I will grow big and strong, and vanquish all our enemies.”

She was so gentle and serene that Jim felt a little thrill at the battle-lust. “I’m sure you will. I think the French will try to invade Britain, and it will be our job to help fight them.”

“We will,” Enterprise vowed. “It will be a battle, correct? Have you been in many battles?”

“I suppose I have.”

“Would you tell me about one of them?”

“Of course—how about the battle of the Nile?”

Enterprise was very interested in battles. In fact, she was interested in everything: politics, mathematics, poetry. Jim had never been so grateful for his impressive classical education. He had also never enjoyed discussing these topics as much as he did with Enterprise. He was rapidly becoming completely enamored with her. She exuded a calm that reminded him of the most beautiful day at sea—and yet beneath it was a fiery, protective streak. She was also the smartest being Jim had ever encountered. She seemed to soak up new information like a sponge, and asked penetrating, intelligent questions about all she learned.

“Might we go flying today? I should very much like to try,” Enterprise asked him the next morning, stretching her wings a bit. A nearby sailor squawked in alarm, and Jim looked at him reprovingly. He couldn’t understand their fear of Enterprise, who was, as far as he could tell, perfection itself. Her teeth may have grown longer than his hand, but he could not look at her and feel fear. 

“All right,” Jim decided cautiously. “But only a short flight. I don’t want you to overexert yourself and not be able to return to the ship.”

The makeshift harness they’d made for Carver was now far too small, so a new one had to be created. Jim carefully climbed on to Enterprise’s back and clipped himself in. “Try your best to take off smoothly—you’re big enough to rock the ship at this point.”

“I understand,” Enterprise replied in her smooth, clear voice. “Are you ready, Jim?”

“Yes. Off we go.”

And then the world dropped away, the wind roaring in his ears. Enterprise was fast, much faster than any ship Jim had ever been on. He felt a childish thrill at the fact that he was _flying_. It was unlike anything he’d ever experienced, certainly more exhilarating than sailing. Better than anything. He let out a whoop of happiness, and Enterprise smiled at him over her shoulder.

“How do you feel, Enterprise?” Jim asked.

“It is most wonderful. I think I could fly all day.”

“I bet you could. But let’s not test that theory. No need to push too hard over open water.”

Enterprise’s smile turned indulgent. “As you wish, Jim. I am not tired, but we may return to the ship—and perhaps fly a little farther tomorrow?”

“I don’t see why not,” Jim agreed. 

As Enterprise wheeled around, she dropped down closer to the water. “What are those?”

“Fish. Hey, I wonder if you could catch one? We’re a little tight on supplies—you eat quite a lot.”

Enterprise dropped like a stone, much faster than she’d ever moved before, and Jim felt his heart jump into his throat. Then there was a splash and Enterprise was rising again, a great fat tuna clutched in her claws. 

Jim let out a whoop of excitement at her success.

***

Enterprise was quickly learning how to read him, far better than he might have liked. “You are concerned about us joining the Aviators,” she said to him gently one day.

“Ah,” he replied, running a hand through his hair, slightly embarrassed that she’d picked up on it. “A little. You have to follow orders in the military, and I’ve never been very good at following the rules.”

“Well, if we do not like it, surely we can fly away again and do something else. Privateering seems quite nice. I do like the sea.”

Jim chuckled. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way.”

“Are we not free to make our own choice?”

Jim shifted; the conversation was making him slightly uncomfortable. He’d never thought much about the fact that dragons “belonged” to the crown—but he’d also never spoken to one before. Never realized they were as intelligent as any man, and rather more so than most, if Enterprise was any indication. “We have a duty to help in the war effort,” he settled on. “Britain is our home, and we need to protect it from the French. You’ll make a tremendous difference in the war effort.”

“I do not see how it can be my home when I have never been there, but if it is your home, then I will protect it, always. I am sure we can handle whatever difficulties being in the military might present.”

“With you by my side, Enterprise, I think I can handle anything,” Jim said softly. 

She nuzzled him affectionately. “Would you read to me, Jim? Perhaps from the _Principia Mathematica_?”

“Of course, my love.” He read to her long into the night, and then fell asleep in the shelter of her great wing, surrounded by the endless starry night.

***

Not everyone took Jim’s transition to being Enterprise’s captain so smoothly.

“What the hell, Jim?”

Jim hadn’t been looking forward to this conversation. He’d signaled the captured French ship, wanting Gary to take over the _Reliant_ so he could focus on Enterprise. Which meant telling Gary that Jim’s career as a privateer was over.

“There wasn’t exactly a lot of choice in the matter, Gary. Enterprise took a liking to me.”

“So? Why does that mean you had to harness it?” 

“Harness _her_ , not it. It’s done now, so yell at me if you’d like, but it won’t change anything.”

Gary deflated a little. “So, you’re really doing this? Just giving up everything we’ve worked for to join the aviators?”

“I’m sorry—but obviously, I’m leaving the _Reliant_ to you. You’ll be a great Captain.”

“I never wanted to be Captain. Not since I met you… It was supposed to be you and me, for the long haul.” It was as close to a confession as he was likely to ever get. 

Jim had always known that their tryst wasn’t just stress relief. And he did feel a great deal of affection for Gary. He’d been a good partner, and a good lover. It was nice to have someone he could count on, and know that there was no risk of his being turned in for sodomy. But Jim didn’t _love_ Gary. Perhaps he should feel guilty for that, and a part of him did, but he didn’t feel particularly guilty about walking away. He was leaving Gary in a great position, with a great crew. And maybe Gary could now find someone who would actually love him in return. 

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say. “I’m grateful for all we’ve had together.”

Gary nodded, took an aborted step toward him, and then turned away.

Jim waited until he was gone before letting out a long, slow sigh. He scrubbed a hand over his face, and went to see Enterprise. She looked at him contemplatively, perhaps a bit sadly, and nuzzled against him.

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked, leaning into her and stroking her muzzle.

“Jim… To be my Captain, you will have to give up your ship. I had not realized.”

He pulled back to look at her. “Yes, but I don’t care about that.”

“You are certain?” she asked, her expression cautiously hopeful.

The answer was blindingly obvious: “Enterprise, I would rather be your Captain than the Captain of any ship in the world.” 

She beamed at him. “And I would rather have you as my Captain, than any man in the world. Oh, I am so very happy you found me, Jim.” 

He hugged her close, and thought how wonderful it was, just the two of them. Surely, even being in the British military was worth this.


	2. The Crew

“Admiral Pike, I’m Jim Kirk. I was told to present myself to you for orders.” 

“Captain Kirk,” Pike said in greeting. The rather handsome older man’s gaze was sharply intelligent, more so than Jim would have expected from someone in Government. “I know your father well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, sir.” At Pike’s blinking stare, Jim resisted the urge to wince and amended: “Sorry. What I mean is, I’m not much like my father. Sir.”

Pike chuckled. “Have a seat, Captain. We’ve confirmed you in your rank, of course. You did an excellent job harnessing Enterprise, and your orders are to report to the training grounds at Dover, where you and Enterprise will get in fighting shape to help defend us against the French… If, of course, that’s what you want.” 

“I… wasn’t aware there was a choice in the matter, sir,” Jim said slowly, feeling a strange tightening in his stomach.

“Not for Enterprise there isn’t.”

“And for me?” Jim repressed the jolt of indignation at hearing that Enterprise had no choice—somehow the fact that he did seemed much more concerning at the moment.

“It’s uncommon, but dragons who’ve been harnessed by one Captain at birth can sometimes be convinced to accept another. Enterprise is only a few weeks old. She might be willing to take another Captain, if you prefer to return to life as a privateer.” 

The thought of Enterprise with some other Captain made him go cold—and then feel hot all over. “With all respect, _sir,_ there’s no way in hell I’m letting someone else captain Enterprise.”

Pike grinned and leaned back slightly in his seat. “Glad to hear it, son. I think we could use someone like you, someone who hasn’t grown up in the service but has a hell of a lot of command and combat experience. It’ll take you some time to get comfortable with how we work, but I think you’ll be a real asset.”

Jim’s fury started to seep out of him at Pike’s words, but he found it hard to completely relax. The idea that he and Enterprise could be separated hadn’t even crossed his mind. It felt… wrong, somehow, to even imagine them apart for any length of time. “Thank you, sir. I know I may not be the typical Aviator, but I’m sure as hell going to give this everything I’ve got.”

“Glad to hear it.” Now Pike’s expression turned more serious. “Now, you’ve probably heard rumors about the Aviators. There’s a lot we keep close to the vest, and I’m going to ask you to keep our more unorthodox practices to yourself.”

“And what practices would those be, sir?” 

There was a glint of mischief in Pike’s eyes as he replied, “I think I’ll let you figure that out for yourself.”

Jim regarded him for a long moment, wondering just what the hell it was that they kept so secretive. “You can count on me, sir,” he settled on, deciding it couldn’t be all that bad.

“Excellent. I’m going to be flying up there tomorrow. You and Enterprise can join me.”

“What’s your dragon’s name, sir?”

“Number One.”

“That’s… an unusual name sir.”

Pike looked momentarily surprised, then laughed. “Yes, yes it is. But she hatched years before we anticipated, years before I was ready, and it’s what came to my mind in the moment.”

“I like it,” Jim replied quickly.

This seemed to mollify Pike. “You know, being a dragon captain… It’s not like any other job in the world.”

“I think I’m beginning to see that, sir,” Jim replied, though he could not yet have any idea how truly right Pike was. 

***

Dover was fascinating. There were dragons and Aviators everywhere, all wearing the long green coat that was the signature piece of the Aviator uniform. Jim had never seen so many dragons in his life. Enterprise was delighted to meet so many of her own kind, and marveled over their diversity. 

They also finally got an answer as to her breed: she was an Imperial, a rare and powerful Chinese breed. Enterprise preened when she was told, and Jim chuckled indulgently.

Lieutenant Olson was showing him around the grounds and introducing him to various other Aviators and dragons, growing increasingly frustrated when Enterprise and Jim asked question after question about everything.

As they walked by a man who was fiddling with an odd-looking harness, Jim paused to ask, “What are you working on there?”

Olson frowned, looking mildly annoyed that Jim had engaged the man in conversation.

The man blinked up at Jim for a moment, looking perplexed and then delighted to have been addressed. “Ah, it’s a modification on the standard harness, sir. See the problem with conventional harnesses are that boarders can just jump over and clip on, so I’ve designed a harness that doesn’t fit the standard clip, sir. It’s a small modification, but it’ll repel a boarding party without the need for a great deal o’ fightin’.”

Jim looked at the harness design with interest; he’d heard that attack parties sometimes jumped through the air from one dragon’s back to another; if they could take the dragon’s captain captive, the dragon would usually surrender. 

“Sir, he’s a bit, uh, soft in the head,” Olson said to him under his breath.

Jim glanced at him sidelong, quickly reevaluating Olson. He wouldn’t be taking a position on Enterprise, that was for certain. “I don’t believe he is.” Turning back to the man, he asked, “What’s your name?”

“Lieutenant Scott, sir, though most everyone calls me Scotty, on account of it being related to my name, and o’ me being Scottish.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Scotty. I’m Captain Jim Kirk, of Enterprise.”

Scotty’s eyes lit up. “She is a beaut, Cap’n, if you don’t mind me saying so. I saw her flying in—perfect confirmation.”

There was no quicker way to Jim’s heart. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“You know, I’ve also some ideas to ensure the harness doesn’t cause too much wind resistance and slow her down. She’s got quite some speed on her for a heavyweight.”

“Are you presently assigned, Lieutenant?”

“I am not, sir.”

“Well, let’s see if we can change that, hm?”

***

Jim entered the officer’s mess for breakfast absolutely starving. He’d passed out without even eating dinner the night before—he was simply too exhausted from their training. Much of his experience translated, but a lot of it didn’t. Becoming adept at battle from a dragon’s back required him to use muscles he hadn’t known existed. The training master was also trying to get them in fighting shape in record time, which meant double or even triple drills every day. Enterprise had been too tired to even ask him to read to her the night before, for which he was exceptionally grateful.

His mind was very focused on the need for food, but he was quickly distracted by the sight of a very beautiful, dark-skinned woman sitting at one of the tables. “Why hello there, gorgeous,” Jim said in greeting. “I’m Captain Jim Kirk, of Enterprise.”

The woman just glared at him as he got himself a plate and sat across from her. 

“If you don’t tell me your name, I’m going to have to make one up for you.”

“It’s Uhura.”

“Just Uhura?”

“ _Lieutenant_ Uhura.”

And… oh. He had totally missed the fact that she was wearing the green Aviator’s coat. He blinked at her owlishly. Is this what Pike was talking about when he mentioned “unorthodox practices?” He quickly collected himself. “Are you presently assigned, Lieutenant?”

“No,” she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “Not all of us can just luck into becoming captain of an Imperial with no training whatsoever.”

 _Aha, so that’s the problem._ “Just doing my duty. I never had any interest in being a dragon captain.” Her expression was momentarily outraged, but then he added, “But I can’t deny that I was damn lucky.”

She just stared at him for a long moment, then stood to leave. He shrugged and started eating. He wasn’t exactly surprised that not everyone was a fan of his rapid rise within the Aviator ranks. But not everyone minded, either. A few minutes later, Sulu and Chekov joined him at the table, talking excitedly. 

Jim had already decided that he wanted them both on his crew. Sulu would make a great second officer and Chekov was a talented navigator. Likely the only reason they hadn’t been scooped up already was because of prejudice against their backgrounds. 

Scotty would lead his grounds crew and be in charge of his equipment. He was still on the hunt for a dragon doctor, and most importantly, a first officer. 

“Soooo, when were you two going to tell me that there are women in the service?”

Chekov choked on his eggs. Sulu just laughed. “Longwings—and a few other breeds—won’t accept male captains, so they had to accept women into the service, or lose some of the most valuable breeds.”

“Fascinating,” Jim said dryly, chewing over the implications. No wonder the admiralty wanted to keep this quiet. There would be public outcry if it were known that Britain was sending young ladies off to war. Jim, having spent time in some less than savory places as a young man, was well aware that women could be every bit as capable as men.

He was about to say something more when a familiar figure entered the room, and his mouth fell open. “ _Bones?_?”

Leonard McCoy just smirked at him. “Kid, what in the hell have you gotten yourself into now?”

“Bones! I had no idea you were here!” Jim stood up to give his friend a fierce hug. Bones had grown up basically next door to him, and together they’d driven the entire county crazy with their shenanigans. Or rather, Jim’s shenanigans that he always dragged Bones along for. Bones had gone off to be a doctor and absolutely refused all of Jim’s overtures to join his crew.

“Well, turns out I’ve a bit of a natural inclination toward dragon doctoring.”

“Oh my God. You are finally going to join my crew!”

“I’m assigned to Admiral Pike.”

“No, you are definitely joining my crew. I’ll talk to him. Don’t worry about it. Hey, I thought you were afraid of heigh—“

“No more of that now,” Bones said with a sharp look.

Sulu and Chekov were looking at them curiously. Bones and Jim rejoined them at the table, where Bones said, “Never thought I’d live to see the day that Jim Kirk joins the British military.”

“Trust me, it wasn’t the plan,” Jim agreed. “We took a French freighter, and they had the egg in their hold. I meant for one of my men to take her but,” he shrugged, “Enterprise took a liking to me.”

“Enterprise? You named her after that ship you used to love?”

“So? It was a great ship—and Bones, she’s the most amazing dragon.”

“Imperials are one of the rarest breeds in China, second only to the famed Celestials,” Sulu explained. He was a bit of a dragon expert, and the son of a minor Japanese diplomat. There were still no official diplomatic relations between their countries, but Japan had sent a single man who acted as an occasional backchannel negotiator. Jim suspected the Aviators had accepted Sulu into their ranks in the hope of currying favor with Japan. “They are among the wisest, most beautiful, and most powerful dragons on Earth.”

“Did you see Enterprise doing drills yesterday? Pike says she’s got impeccable form.”

“She most certainly does, Captain,” Chekov said.

One of his favorite things about the Aviators: they were all as in love with dragons as he apparently now was. No one minded when he extolled on Enterprise’s many virtues. And as far as he was concerned, even having met other dragons, she was the most wonderful dragon on Earth. 

As the conversation continued, he looked around the table happily. Now that he’d found Bones again, there was only one, incredibly important position that remained unfilled: that of first officer.

***

Trying to fill that position was an exercise in frustration. After trying out two other candidates, Lieutenant Uhura was taking her turn. Jim realized almost immediately that she was far and away the most competent of the bunch. She expertly and quietly adjusted for his inexperience with dragons, ensuring everything ran smoothly. She spoke eleven languages. She was immensely knowledgeable about battle tactics. The crew seemed to respect her automatically. Even Enterprise had taken a liking to her.

And she still absolutely despised him. She made it clear at every turn—but never in a way that was openly insubordinate— that she thought of him as little better than a pirate who had somehow stumbled his way into captaining one of Britain’s greatest dragons. 

He was mulling over this dilemma as he read a book of poetry to Enterprise, when suddenly Sulu came bolting up to him, much of the crew trailing after him. “We’ve been called to action!” he cried out. “Victoriatus has been injured! Enterprise needs to support him coming in, or he’s going to fall into the sea.”

“Prepare to disembark!” Jim cried out, and watched the crew spring into action. He was no longer annoyed by Uhura’s competence—right now, he needed all the help he could get. A dragon and his crew were depending on them.

Enterprise was her typical, serene self. “We will rescue him and bring him back safely, do not fear,” she told Jim. 

A few minutes later they were flying along the coastline. Jim spotted Victoriatus in the distance and pointed. Enterprise was like a loosed arrow bearing straight for him. A small reaper was supporting the great Parnassian, obviously near exhaustion. Enterprise glided in to relieve her. The crew were distributed so that the dragon would not hurt them when he slid down onto her back.

For a moment, Enterprise dropped down, but then pushed back up, beating her great wings and straightening herself out. For a moment, all seemed well—and then she hissed in pain. Jim looked up in horror and saw that in his confusion and agony, Victoriatus was clawing Enterprise’s back. She was struggling under the assault. Victoriatus’ captain was trying valiantly to calm his dragon. 

“My brave Enterprise, hang on,” Jim said, stroking the side of her neck. 

And then he saw an even worse problem, and his mouth went dry: Victoriatus had nearly severed Enterprise’s shoulder strap. If it broke completely, all the men riding below in the rigging would go tumbling into the sea. Nearly a third of his crew would be lost in the blink of an eye.

Jim leapt into action. “Enterprise, stay as level as you can,” he shouted, unlocking his carabiner and climbing onto her shoulder, holding on only by his grip on the leather.

He could hear shouting on the wind as he moved toward where the leather had frayed and nearly broken, but couldn’t make out the words. He quickly set to work resecuring the strap, pulling to tight it so that there wouldn’t be any pressure on the frayed leather. The wind was roaring in his ears; it was like being aloft at sea, only far more disorienting, and there was far more pressure on his limbs from the air rushing by them. It felt like hours later that he succeeded in securing the broken strap; it would not break before they landed.

Just as a sigh of relief escaped him, Victoriatus shuddered above him, and Jim slipped. He slid down the harness, but he had nothing to clip in with. His sweaty hands seized the leather as his feet scrambled for purchase, but he could barely hold on. 

“Jim!” came Enterprise’s cry. “Hold on!” He had never heard such fear in her voice. She was shifting under Victoriatus, as if preparing to dive and snatch Jim out of the air if he fell.

The danger of the situation hit him like a cannonball: it wasn’t just his life at stake. If he fell, Enterprise might throw Victoriatus off her back to dive after him, letting him and his crew of nearly 100 fall to their deaths. 

His own life was insignificant before the potential for such great loss. He swallowed around the lump in his throat and yelled to her, “You must not let him fall!” 

“If _you_ fall, I _will_ catch you.” Enterprise’s voice was fierce, determined. 

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

“Enterprise, listen to me. Your first priority is keeping Victoriatus aloft. That’s an _order_. Do you understand?”

“No!” she hissed in response. “ _You_ are my first priority.”

Jim wanted to scream, but he felt himself slide further toward the sea, his grip growing ever more tenuous on the straps. He was going to fall. Which either meant he was going to die, or Victoriatus and his crew were going to die—or, quite possibly, both.

And then suddenly Uhura was at his side, seizing his harness with both hands. “Lock onto me,” she said. He quickly locked his loose carabiners onto the rings of her harness, transferring his grip to her straps. Then the midwingmen reached them, all grabbing Jim with strong hands, drawing him back to the main harness and locking him in place.

His heart was in his throat, and he forced a deep breath. He had been here before: in moments of crisis, all that mattered was the next step. He seized his speaking trumpet and called up to Enterprise, trying to keep his voice level and calm, “I’m secure, Enterprise! Keep flying, all is well.” 

Enterprise relaxed ever so slightly, but had to keep flying hard to keep Victoriatus afloat. 

“Well done, everyone,” Jim said to his crew. “Let’s give Scotty some room to work. Lieutenant Uhura, please send someone up to Victoriatus’s captain and ask if they need assistance; we need to do our best to keep Victoriatus calm and stop him from injuring Enterprise further.” 

They all gaped at him for a moment. Uhura recovered first and quickly began shouting orders. 

Half an hour later, they landed. Bones, now officially assigned to Jim’s crew, hurried to tend to Enterprise. Now that the crisis was over, Jim could focus on the damage done. His heat clenched as he saw the great furrows in her back from Victoriatus’ claws. 

“She’ll be just fine, Jim,” Bones assured him.

Jim had always hated seeing his ship damaged, but this was something else entirely. A ship could shudder and moan, but it could not feel pain. Nor could a ship recite poetry or ask questions about civil rights. It _hurt_ to see Enterprise like this, and he hated it. Hated that she’d been injured and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Hated that being injured was a part of her duty. Some part of him wanted to simply take her away somewhere they’d both be safe, as crazy as that idea was.

Once Enterprises’ wounds were bandaged and she was settled down to rest, Bones looked at him seriously. “Jim, Victoriatus looked to be in bad shape—”

“Go,” Jim said at once. “Go help him.”

Bones nodded, but hesitated. “You look like hell, Jim. You need to get some rest, too. In a proper bed.”

“I will, soon,” he said firmly. Bones looked unconvinced, but shaking his head turned and jogged toward Victoriatus’ clearing. 

Jim had no intention of going anywhere. He slumped down to the ground beside Enterprise, stroking her snout as she keened softly in pain. He could not leave her anymore than he could stop his own heart from beating. He fell asleep pressed against her side.

***

He woke to Enterprise was wheezing and shivering slightly, despite the cold having never bothered her before. Jim huddled closer. “Are you all right, love?”

“I will be fine, Jim,” Enterprise replied, clearly forcing herself to be strong.

“Should I get Bones?”

“No,” Enterprise replied firmly. “I only need to rest a bit longer.”

The herdsman brought Enterprise a cow to eat. He still could not leave her, not until she was healed, not until she was better. Not until his heart stopped feeling like it was breaking in his chest. 

They continued to sleep on and off, until he woke to see Uhura standing over him. Sulu and Chekov were lingering a few dozen yards away. 

“Captain,” she said gently. “You need to go and have something hot to eat, and a bath, and then sleep in your own bed. You’re covered in blood, and it’s too cold out here for you to sleep safely. The other officers and I will take it in turns to stay with her; we will fetch you at once if there is any change, or if she asks for you.”

Jim blinked and looked down at himself; he was covered in streaks of near black dragon blood. He was unshaven and his shirt was torn and dirty. “You’re right, as always. Thank you, Lieutenant.”

She nodded, and Jim limped off, realizing suddenly that he had yet to report to Pike, but the Admiral waved off his apology when he arrived in Pike’s office. “I’d much rather you worry about your dragon than about protocol.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You did a great job out there, son, but with all respect, you look like death warmed up. Go get some rest.”

Jim didn’t need to be told again. 

***

Once he felt like himself again, there were a few important conversations he needed to have.

“Enterprise, you can’t do that again,” he told her. “You can’t put my life ahead of a dragon’s, or ahead of 100 other people. Do you understand?”

Her glorious blue eyes were narrowed at him. “I do not,” she replied. “You are my Captain, more precious to me than anyone in the world. I will always choose you.”

His heart swelled at her regard, but he couldn’t leave things like this. “Enterprise… the needs of the many have to outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.”

“Not for me. Jim, you cannot ask this of me. It is against everything in my nature. I will always do my best to protect other dragons, and people, but you are my _Captain_. I would not be… myself, otherwise. I do not know what else to say.” She nuzzled close against him, the warmth of her hide a welcome comfort. 

Sighing in frustration, Jim wrapped his arms around her neck; it was too thick now for him to reach all the way around. “I love you so much,” he said.

“As I love you.”

“We’re not done talking about this.”

She hummed soothingly, and he sighed against her. 

***

That just left one more conversation to go. “Lieutenant, do you have a moment?”

Uhura looked slightly wary, but nodded, and walked with him a bit away from Enterprise. 

“I know you don’t respect me,” he began; she opened her mouth as if to protest but he held up a hand and she fell silent. “But I know you respect the service, and Enterprise, and the men and women you serve with. Enterprise deserves the very best—and that’s you. And _you_ deserve all the opportunities that come with serving as first officer, including the chance to one day become a captain yourself. So, what do you say? Will you be my first officer?”

“Captain,” she breathed out, looking abjectly miserable. “I owe you so many apologies.”

He blinked in surprise at her words.

“I made assumptions about you, and I could not have been more wrong. I _do _respect you. You—you were incredible out there. I already knew Enterprise loved you, and now I see why. It would be my great honor to serve with you. And, please, forgive the way I acted?”__

__Jim’s heart felt light. “Forgiven and forgotten. And the honor is all mine, Lieutenant. Although now, I guess it’s Commander, eh?”_ _

__She stuck out her hand, and he shook it. Things were looking up after all._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Is anyone looking to exchange beta-ing? Let me know! I feel like this one in particular could use a beta so I can ensure it makes sense to people who haven't read Temeraire. I'd also love it for my other works (currently working on a sequel to You're Designed to Tremble Too and the next chapter of Crime is Common. Logic is Rare.)


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